Engaging All by Creating High School Learning Communities

This comprehensive book provides the research-based framework, pedagogy, concepts and strategies that are essential for engaging all by creating high school learning communities. Topics discussed include critical indicators of the very different needs of 21st century youth, voices of students themselves, and a consensus of recommendations from the literature and studies, including the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Readers will explore the most promising strategy for sustained, substantive school improvement that of building the capacity of school personnel the insiders to function as a collegial learning community, in which teachers collaboratively learn together, tailor curricula to ways in which students of today's world best can learn, support each other in implementation, and reflect together continuously on their own enhanced learning as well as that of their students. Readers will understand why and how the research-based developmental process of Tribes Learning Communities, when implemented well, can transform the culture, structures and pedagogy of the whole high school system particularly one committed to preparing today's students for an entirely different era the Era of Learning.

Jeanne Gibbs graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in chemistry and worked in the field until she became more interested in the chemistry of people and systems that affect our lives. Her professional work for the last thirty years has been focused on synthesizing a comprehensive range of literature and studies into an applicable educational process that promotes human development and learning. The process known simply as Tribes or Tribes Learning Communities, creates a caring motivational culture, collaborative learning communities and active learning instruction that corresponds to the unique ways in which today's 21st century students best can learn... and succeed in school and life.

Jeanne supervised implementations of the community learning process throughout hundreds of schools and youth-serving agencies for many years while managing a non-profit corporation which she had founded. Ever-growing requests from schools, districts and universities throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries led her to establish CenterSource Systems in 1995 as the home of Tribes.

Jeanne has retired many times, none of which last long due to her passionate purpose. It is no surprise that people across many countries know Jeanne for her warm and generous spirit... and ability to build community wherever she goes.

Dr. Teri Ushijima is the Complex Area Superintendent of the Central Oahu District Southside Schools of the State of Hawaii Department of Education. Her wealth of experience as an elementary school teacher, school counselor, high school vice-principal, certified Tribes trainer and experiences in designing and promoting professional development underlies the sound principles and practices Teri provides as a highly respected school leader and author. Teri earned her Ed.D. from the University of Southern California in Educational Leadership and Administration. Teri also holds a M.Ed. in Reading and Children s Literature, a MLIS Degree for School Library Science, and her B.Ed. in Education.

Teri was the recipient of the prestigious National Milken Foundation Award in 2006 representing the State of Hawaii. In addition to all of her administrative work, she has been the President of the Hawaii affiliate of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) where she has served on the Leadership Council and Nomination Committee. Jeanne Gibbs is quick to add that this book never would have happened had it not been for the time, effort and brilliance that Teri Ushijima provided as the co-author of this book.